Damascus warplanes are said to have bombed terrorist strongholds in four different areas, including al-Quaryatayn, Hawareen, al-Hadath and Mahasa. Approximately 20 militants were killed in the airstrikes.
"The air attacks have paved the way for the country's ground forces to recapture the [abovementioned] towns and villages and advance towards the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur)," the media outlet quoted the sources as saying.
Russia has launched its anti-Daesh operation in late September following a formal request from Damascus. The campaign is aimed at assisting the government of Bashar al-Assad in its fight against terrorist groups, which are trying to establish an Islamic state in the war-torn country.
The latest operation in Homs is part of a larger campaign to liberate the strategic city of Palmyra, which Daesh captured in May and has since partially destroyed. The terrorist group, which still controls large territories in Iraq and Syria, has also used the city for mass executions.
